Footwear



Jufly E, 1946. A. E. MURRAY I FOOTWEAR File d Nov. 2, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR Alan E. Murray B ATTORNEY Filed Nov. 2, 1945 .4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR Alan E. Mar/a)! ATTORNEY A. E. MURRAY FOOTWEAR Filed NOV. 2, 1943 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Alan ZZMurray ATTORN Y 1 9 1946a A.E. MURRAY 2%(2 35083 FOOTWEAR,

Filed'Nov. 2, 1945 4 sheets-shat 4 ENVENTOR i fllmz E. Murray 3 BY. v M

ATTORNEY I atented July 16,1943

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,404,083 FOOTWEAR Alan E. Murray, Wilmington, Del. Application November 2, 1943, Serial No. 508,705

2 Claims.

My invention relates particularly to an improved form of footwear, which may, for example, be in the form of sandals or shoes.

The present application is a continuation in part of my copending application upon Foot support, filed September 30, 1941, Ser. No. 412,936.

The object of my invention is to provide articles of footwear by means of which foot supports are obtained providing supporting reaction forces distributed throughout the undersurface of the foot, from a restricted contact area with the ground or floor. A further object is to obtain this end while at the same time permitting angular adjustment of the foot to the ground or other surface supporting the footwear. A further object is to secure this end with a pad, incorporated in a sandal or shoe, containing a powdered material, but which is so constructed as to maintain the tight packing and distribution of the powder in the pad notwithstanding hard wear or usage of the foot support. Still another object is to provide an advantageous type of fastening means for the sandal. Further objects of my invention will appear from the detailed description of the same hereinafter.

While my invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms, for the purpose of illustration I have shown only certain forms in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sandal shown partly in section, made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an underneath view of the pad used therein;

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross section of the said p Fig. 5 is a plan View of a detail showing the fastening means of the sandal;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a perforated disk used in said fastening means;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through a modified form of the pad, showing an improved stuffing means for the same;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a shoe made in accordance with my invention;

in Figs. 3 and 4 a pad I which is used therein. This pad I comprises a lower layer 2 of canvas, rubberor other material, and an upper layer 3 of similar material, which has a margin 4 folded over the edge of the lower layer 2, the said margin 4 being cemented to the lower layer 2 by latex, which is a water-suspended form of prevulcanized rubber or a similar form of artificial rubber known as Neoprene, or any other suitable cementing material. This pad is then provided with a slit 5 in theundersurfa'ce and a powdered material, such as powdered'cork or balsa wood, is stuffed tightly into the pad between the layers 2 and 3, through the slit 5, until the material is tightly packed throughout therein. If desired, however, instead, as shown in Fig. 7, the said powder can be stuffed tightly into the toe and heel portions of the pad, the intermediate portion being filled in tightly by a body of cotton or kapok or other fi-v brous material 6. This body of cotton, etc., will keep the bodies of powdered material tightly packed in the toe and heel portions of the pad throughout the use of the same and notwithstanding hard usage thereof. After this the slit 5 is permanently closed by applying a strip I of adhesive tape over the same. The pad I is now ready for incorporation into the sandal shown in Figs. 1 and 2. For this purpose there is cemented over the top of the pad I, by said latex,

Neoprene, etc., a layer 8 of leather which, at the front and sides of said sandal, extends down to the lateral edge of the pad and which, at the top of the pad, extends back to the rear portion of the pad and is formed into a cup-like portion 9 which extends upwardly at the rear of the counter portion as well as upwardlya short distance to either side of the counter portion. This is accomplished by providing slits I0 and II at the two sides of the leather layer 8 and thereafter turning up the resulting flap. This cup-like portion 9 abuts against the edge of an inner layer I2 of leather which is of such a shape as to form, with the cuplike portion 9, a counter I3 for the sandal. ,The cup-like portion 9 and the leather layer I2 are cemented together with the same cementing material, with the aid of a strengthening strip I4 of burlap, which extends very slightly above the joint between the layer 9 and I12, down to the lateral edge of the pad I and forwardly to approximately the positions of the slits l0 and II. Over this burlap layer I4 there is cemented by the same cementing material a layer 15 of monks cloth, which also extends down to the lateral edge of the pad I and forwardly to approximately the position of the slits I0 and II. Over the outside of the leather layer l2, and adjacent to the edge of the layer [5, there is: now applied a cord of cotton or other twisted fibres I6 near the edge of the counter l3, the same being cemented. in place by the same cementing material. There is then applied over the cord 16 and over the layer a leather layer 11 forming the outside of the counter 53 and which extends down to the lateral margin of the pad I and forwardly to abut against the ends of the leather layer 8 at the slits Ill and H. There is now fastened to the undersurface of the pad I a rubber or canva layer l8 cemented in place by the same cementing material and ending at the lower edge of the burlap strip I l. Beneath the layer 18 there is then cemented in place with the same cementing material, a soft leather sole l8a which underlies the lower edge of the leather layer H. in order to retain the sandal on the foot, a fastening means is provided, as shown inFig. 2, comprising a narrow leather strip l9, which is first provided with a knot 2t and is then inserted in a hole 2| cut through the upper layer or layers of the foot support so as to provide a portion 22 extending beneath the surface of the same. The strip He then passes outwardly through a hole 23 to provide a diagonal cross strip 24 which again enters, similarly, a hole 25 providing a portion 26 inside the support, which then passes outwardly through a hole 2'3 to form a diagonal toe engaging portion 23. This toe engaging portion 28 passes through a hole 29 in a similar way, to form an inner strip 39 which passes outwardly through a hole 3! so as to provide a longitudinal portion 32 extending beneath the diagonal portion 24. The longitudinal portion 32 is then passed beneath a transverse strap 33, one end of which has a stitching E l fastening it to the counter [3. The said strap 33 has an end 35 adapted to be passed through a buckle 36 on a strap 31 which is similarly stitched to the other edge of the counter H3. The longitudinal portion 32 of the leather strip l9, after passing beneath the strap 33, passes forwardly over the top of the same and thence through a hole 33 in a fastening disk 39, thence again beneath the strap 33 and forwardly over the top of said strap through a hole as in said disk.

. As shown in Figs. 8 to 11, the said footwear may be made in the form of a shoe. For this purpose there is provided the same type of pad previously described. In this instance, also, there are provided the lower layer I8 of canvas and the soft leather sole Isa, previously described, cemented to each other and to the undersurface of the pad l. A plaster cast M is then provided, of any desired shape, but preferably made to conform to the exact contours of wearers foot, as for instance, in accordance with my Patent No. 2,177,304., upon Process of obtaining effective foot impressions and product thereof, issued ()ctober 24, 1939. Around the ankle portion of the cast ll and beneath the ankle joint there is then cemented on the cast 4 I, with the same cementing material, a leather strip 42 having the shape shown in Fig, 9, and having a joint 43 at the lower end of a slit A l which is left open in the resulting shoe in order to facilitate the putting on and removal of the shoe on the foot. It will be noted that this leather strap thus contains two depending tongues 45 and 46 as well as a curved horizontal portion 31 on the outside of the foot, and a curved horizontal portion 48 on the. inside of the foot. At this stage of the making of the shoe the upper edges of the portions l? and 48 are made longer than necessary to be subsequently cut off in the finishing of the shoe. There is then cemented on the outside of the leather strip 62, entirely around the upper edge of the same, a cord 49, of twisted cotton or other fibres, the same cementing material being used, and the cord 49 being located in a position equidistant from the top edge of the shoe. Beneath the sole of the cast 4| there is cemented in place, with the same cementing material, a layer of monks cloth 5% so that the same extends around the footup to an undercut line 5| of the plaster cast and so that the said layer 50 is folded over the top of the toes of the cast to form a flap 52, also cemented to the cast in the same Way, thus forming two tucks or .puckers 53 and 54 which are out off. There is then cemented over the top of the cast a monks cloth layer 55 so that the edges of said layer join at the rear of the heel and over the bottom of the cast to form a joint 56. This resultsin producing, at the rear of the sole, puckers or tucks 51, 58, 59 and 6B, which are then cut off, as well as at the front of the foot, puckers or tucks SI, 62, 63 and 64, which are likewise cut off. This layer 55, it will be noted, extends merely up to the under edge of the cord 59. A rear leather heel-piece 65 is then applied over the layer 55 and cemented thereto, which extends around the rear of the counter portion and forwardly to middle positions on the sides of the shoe to form, ultimately, joints 66 and 37, which extend down to the lateral edge of the pad l, on the opposite sides of the shoe. Accordingly, adjacent the edges at the joints 56 and 67 there is. then cemented over the front of the shoe a top leather piece 88 which also extends down to the lateral edge of the pad I to join the sole No. This front leather piece 53 is provided with a slit 69 conforming to the position of the slit M. The slits id and E59 are then provided with a fastening means comprising a strap ll! having stitching H securing it to the leather piece 68, and below the slit 69 the said leather piece is provided with a short leather strap :2 having thereon a buckle 13 to receive the end of the strap 78. A series of holes (ll may be made in the shoe all around the same above the pad, through the layers 50, 55 and E8, to provide added ventilation. The plaster cast M is then broken into pieces by light taps from a hammer and is removed from the shoe. Any remaining particles of the plaster and cementing material may then be removed from the inner surface by rubbing the same with a cloth or brush and any suitable solvent of the cementing material. The edges of the shoe can now be finished in any desired manner, as forexalnple by clipping off the upper edges above the cord 49 and then providing stitching l5 around the margin adjacent to the cord 49.

In the operation of my invention, both in the case of the sandal shown in Fig, l and the shoe shown in Fig. 8, it will be noted that both the upper and lower surfaces of the portion supporting the foot are in a bowed or convex position, both transversely and longitudinally. Also, the convex under-surface of the foot support contacts with the ground or floor over a very restricted area less than the width and length of the foot support, thus causing upwardly directed divergent reaction forces therefrom in all directions from the point of contact with the ground or floor towards the foot, thus meeting equall the downwardly divergent forces exerted by the foot and expanding or spreading the powder in all directions'within the pad I to keep the same tightly packed therein throughout the use of the support notwithstanding hard usage thereof. This eiTect is aided, in the form of my invention shown in Fig. 7, by the intermediate body of cotton or kapok, which tends to push the powdered material towards the toe and heel portions of the foot support throughout in the use of the shoe. This provides at all times a uniform distribution of the forces supporting the different portions of the foot and notwithstanding the differences in angularity between the position of the foot and the ground or floor, laterally as well as longitudinally. This arrangement results in an extraordinarily beneficial effect on the foot, which conforms the supporting pad to the different contours of the sole of the foot. It has been found that footwear so constructed is an invaluable aid to restoring the natural shape and functions of the feet where the feet have become malformed or damaged due to unnatural causes, as for example the supporting of the feet by the usual fiatsoled footwear and on hard fiat surfaces such as the ground or floors.

While I have described my invention above in detail I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the same.

I claim:

1. A ground contacting foot support comprising a sack having a yielding material tightly stuffed therein, said support having at both the top and bottom oppositely transversely substantially equally sharply curved normally convex exteriors extending the entire width of the foot support, each of said top and bottom convex exteriors constituting a single crown-shaped curvature transversely, enabling the downwardly divergent forces applied therein to meet the upwardly divergent reaction forces in the support, with an underneath supporting contact restrict ed transversely to less than the width of the foot support, the bottom of said foot support being also curved longitudinally throughout its entire length, and means carried by the foot support to attach the same to the wearer.

2. A ground contacting foot support comprising a sack containing a body of powdered material tightly stuffed therein at the front and rear of the support separated by an intermediate fibrous expansible spreader different from said material, having at both the top and bottom, transversely thereof, oppositely substantially equally sharply curved normally convex exteriors extending the entire width of the foot support, each of said top and bottom convex exteriors constituting a single crown-shaped curvature transversely, enabling the downwardly divergent forces applied therein to meet the upwardly divergent reaction forces in the support, with an underneath supporting contact restricted transversely to less than the Width of the foot support, the bottom of said foot support being also curved longitudinally throughout its entire length, and means carried by the foot support to attach the same to the wearer.

ALAN E. MURRAY. 

